11 Vacations Where You Can Disconnect And Change Your Life

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Transformative Travel: I look at how travel can change lives.

Want to take a digital detox? We've got some ideas. (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

It's no secret that people are addicted to their digital devices. According toPew Research Center, as smartphones and other mobile devices have become more widespread, 26% of American adults now report that they go online “almost constantly,” up from 21% in 2015. And a report published by the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg says the average American spends a whopping 23.6 hours online each week.

In response, a number of travel companies are trying to help guests reclaim their lives outside of their devices by offering innovative ways to escape the digital rat race.

"Ironically, as connected as we are in the social media age, we are completely disconnected," says travel guru Jack Ezon, managing partner at Embark, a new luxury lifestyle and travel planning business that he's about to launch.

Ezon calls this one of the big trends of 2018 in his annual trend report, pointing out that travel presents an opportunity for people to put their fast-paced “connected” world behind them and build true, deep connections that you just can’t get from a Facebook feed or Instagram Live videos. Ezon says there's a new yearning for disconnecting, including "a desire for road trips and trips that offer a real connection to the land."

The travel agency Protravel International also says that disconnecting is one of the five emerging trends in luxury travel. “I’m seeing more and more clients looking to travel to disconnect from technology and the news cycle," says Marvelys Capote, an agent with Protravel International New York.

Recently, Capote sent four women to Holbox Island in Mexico, so that they could "get off the grid and connect with nature."Holbox is a remote island two hours northwest of Cancun with limited Wi-Fi. "My clients stayed at CasaSandra, a boutique hotel without televisions, went bird-watching, fishing, swimming with whale sharks, ate great seafood and came back rejuvenated.”

Sometimes you need to disconnect in order to reconnect. (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has done research into the topic of reconnecting by disconnecting, too. According to a 2017 report, physical and mental health are key motivators for travelers seeking adventure travel experiences — and, according to the ATTA, travelers are increasingly prioritizing this when making travel-related decisions by seeking out wellness trips, as well as opportunities to unplug.

"Almost everyone I know knows someone who is on a device too much," says Casey Hanisko, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. "People are craving the idea of reconnecting. Remarkably, adventure experiences can awaken something in us all and remind us that making memories doesn't always happen with a phone in your hand."

Looking to take your own digital detox? From charming cottages to wellness retreats to urban getaways, here are 10 ways to unplug on your next vacation.

Holiday Cottages overlooking a beach in Cornwall.Photo courtesy of holidaycottages.co.uk

Holiday Cottages

Based on its own research into this trend, HolidayCottages.co.uk, a Britain-based cottage rental site, developed an interactive guide to help travelers find the best places to switch off. The company will also be implementing dynamic search terms on its website that allows users to filter and find a vacation rental based on new preferences like whether a house has Wi-Fi and other technological capabilities, or whether they can entirely cut off from the digital world for the duration of their stay.

At the Iceland Trail Running + Wellness Retreat for women, presented by Run Wild Retreats + Wellness.Photo courtesy of www.RunWildRetreats.com

Run Wild Retreats + Wellness

With its women’s trail-running retreats around the globe, Run Wild Retreats + Wellness aims to help travelers grow, learn, revive their energy and renew their motivation. "Our trail running and wellness retreats typically take place in locations where there is not cellular reception, which I've witnessed, really helps people focus on the retreat experience," says CEO Elinor Fish. Guests who go on one of the small-group trips also agree to shut off their GPS watches and limit other kinds of technology, except to take photos. In the places where there is cell reception, the company sets a group agreement at the start of the retreat to limit tech use during all group activities. "It really improves the group dynamic, which obviously is super important to the group travel experience," says Fish.

Yoga at Nayara Springs in Costa Rica.Photo courtesy of Nayara Springs

Nayara Springs, Costa Rica

You couldn't think of a better place to escape from technology than deep in the Costa Rica rain forest, and Nayara Springs delivers with a three-night Digital Detox package. The hotel confiscates your phone and laptop upon arrival (though you're given a phone number, in case of emergency). Days start with bird watching, then include yoga, relaxing by your room's private plunge pool and a Nature Escape Couple’s Treatment at the spa. You won't miss your devices one bit.

At the Villa Stéphanie at the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden Baden, Germany, the walls are embedded with copper plates. At the flick of a switch, guests can obstruct Wi-Fi or any other electronic signals. Take it one step further with the weeklong Brenner Detox program. You'll be assigned your own Detox Host, who will coach you during your stay and give you tips to help transform your life once you leave. Plus, there are plenty of spa treatments, and even blood analysis and lymphatic drainage to make sure you're detoxed from the inside out.

An active travel company based in Argentina, Adventure & Landscape specializes in tailored trips in the Andes Mountains. Founder Ana Ines Figueroa believes in offering travelers experiences that are authentic and responsible, and she uses travel as a tool for conservation. She also advocates unplugging. One of her tricks: She carries a camera and gives her guests photos, so that they don't have to experience the trip through a lens.

A pool at Grand Velas on the Riviera Maya of Mexico.Photo courtesy of Grand Velas

Grand Velas, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Grand Velas on Mexico's Riviera Maya is serious about its Digital Detox program. A Detox Concierge cleanses your suite of all electronic devices and replaces them with old-school board games. Guests wear T-shirts that say "We are digital detoxing" and trade in their electronics for free activities like bike tours and massages. Guests have to earn four activity bracelets during their four-day stay in order to get their electronics back. There's even a timer in the lobby to track your detoxing progress.

At this luxury hotel in the heart of Manhattan, the spa offers a much-neededDigital Wellness Escape. This restorative treatment aims to ease the stress and strain resulting from the frequent use of digital devices. The spa also encourages guests to surrender their phones on arrival and then returns them, cleaned, at the end, along with tips on how to achieve a more digitally balanced life. It's part of Mandarin Oriental's company-wide Digital Detox initiative, created to help guests disconnect from technology.

Overlooking a garden at Stillpoint Lodge in Alaska.Photo courtesy of Stillpoint Lodge

Stillpoint Lodge, Alaska

It takes a short boat or float plane across a towering mountain fjord to get to Stillpoint Lodge, set in the wilderness of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay. Once you're there, nature rules with ocean kayaking alongside sea otters, whale watching, bear viewing and tide pooling. The hotel allows you to determine how far you want to take your digital detox and will remove televisions and telephones and even block Wi-Fi connection in your guest cabin.

The lobby at the Renaissance Pittsburgh hotel.Photo courtesy of the Renaissance Pittsburgh

Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel

The Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel has cooked up a newDigital Detox Getaway that allows you to recharge. It includes a one-night stay in a Deluxe King Riverview room, breakfast for two and activities such as kayaking or an in-room massage. You'll just need to give up your laptops, phones and other devices at check-in, and the TV and iPod dock station will also be removed from your room. But in return, you'll get to experience the city device-free and capture it all on film (so old-school) on an instant camera that the hotel will loan you for your stay.

The Flash Pack's Spanish Vespa Adventure.Photo courtesy of Flash Pack

Flash Pack

Aimed at high-achieving professionals who want to take a break from the rat race and go on a trip with a cool backpacking-inspired vibe, Flash Pack specializes in group tours for solo travelers in their 30’s and 40’s. The company has taken a more subtle approach to detoxing. It used to offer full-on digital detox trips, but then realized that setting the "out of office" doesn't alleviate stress as well as "checking-in then chilling." Now, guests are offered Wi-Fi connectivity on the bus in between locations, so that they can do their work en route to places where they’ll disconnect. Busy professionals get the best of both worlds: the culture shocks and the checking-in.

At CasaSandra on Holbox Island, there are hammocks everywhere.Photo courtesy of CasaSandra

CasaSandra, Mexico

You can easily recalibrate at CasaSandra, set on Holbox, a Mexican island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula that's known for its spectacular nature, endless sun and barefoot sensibility. The island is separated from mainland Mexico by a shallow lagoon that is home to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds. Digital detoxing is a big part of the concept at CasaSandra: There's limited Wi-Fi and no televisions on property, so guests are encouraged to kick off their shoes and completely unplug.

I’m a travel and lifestyle authority and a content strategist who works with brands to create powerful storytelling, build audiences and drive profitability. In this column, "Transformative Travel," I look at how travel can change women's lives. I profile the doers and the ...